Progress in nanostructure understanding of edible crystalline fats and their application in nano-delivery systems: Cocoa butter as a model

Abstract

Nucleation and crystal growth of edible fats at the nanoscale have received little attention due to analytical limitations. A key factor to modify the properties of edible fats is nanostructure understanding. Progress within the last years will be presented, including analytical techniques used to investigate fat crystallization. Cocoa butter has been the subject of several works due to its properties and its high impact on chocolate manufacturing. Moreover, this vegetable fat has been used as the solid lipid component in nano delivery systems. Since nanoplatelet is the smallest unit in crystalline fats, and the nanoscale is influenced by supersaturation, temperature, shear fields, and surfactants, nanostructure engineering is possible. On its part, cocoa butter has been included in innovative delivery systems along the last years. This review will highlight main results and challenges on these topics.

Keywords: Chocolate; Delivery systems; Lipids; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology.